Blueberry growers need sustainable disease management strategies to address anthracnose. Traditional calendar-based fungicide applications may lead to unnecessary treatments.

Jonathan Oliver developed the Blueberry Advisory System at the University of Georgia. It offers a predictive model to target fungicide use more efficiently. The system is accessible via AgroClimate. It predicts infection risks based on weather data, including leaf wetness and temperature.

Anthracnose infection risks are highest from bloom until the fruit turns blue. The model helps growers identify high-risk periods. This allows them to optimize fungicide applications, reduce unnecessary sprays, save costs and limit fungicide resistance. Unlike the calendar approach, which requires treatments every 10 to 14 days, the system delays sprays until moderate or high-risk conditions arise.

Adapted from the Strawberry Advisory System, this tool can extend spray intervals and ensure effective fungicides are used only when needed. While its benefits are less apparent during high-risk years, it enables growers to achieve similar control with fewer sprays. This improves sustainability and efficiency in disease management.

Read more about the development of the Blueberry Advisory System here.